“Knock knock.”

Mina stands still outside Momo’s room, waiting for the latter to answer. Why is she taking so long? Mina yawns. She puts her hand to cover , and just then, the door opens.

Momo is wearing a black tank top with spaghetti straps, and denim shorts up to just below her thighs. The blonde is just looking at Mina, and so Mina does the same. The truth is, that’s the first time Mina’s seen Momo up close, and she’s wearing what she’s wearing, and Mina was caught off guard by Momo’s beauty.

“So are you just gonna stand there like a pabo?” Momo asks, clearly annoyed.

Momo’s pretty, alright, but her attitude ain’t.

Mina follows Momo inside and closes the door behind her. The room has a 40-inch LED TV, where apparently Momo has been playing games. She saw a PS4 controller on the glass table, and some food. It looks like… jokbal?

“What’s your name again?” Momo asks, and Mina feels like slapping the girl. She could have at least asked Sana before they met up.

“It’s Mina. Myoui.”

Momo raises one of her eyebrows. “You’re a Japanese too, huh? My parents would be so happy.”

Mina keeps quiet and thinks to herself. Is that the reason why Momo wants a girlfriend? Because her parents are pressuring her to have one?

“Since you came here,” Momo continues, “I’m assuming you’re accepting the offer. No one can really turn down that much money. People are so desperate.” She chuckles.

“Hey, I have my reasons you know,” Mina defends herself.

“And I don’t care. All you have to do is tell anyone who asks that you’re my girlfriend. I’ll be paying you every month. I don’t wanna transfer money to your account because that can be traced and honestly I don’t think you have one. Oh, and whenever I need you, you need to be there.”

Momo walks towards Mina. The latter unconsciously takes a step backward. “Give me your phone,” Momo commands. She doesn’t really wait for a response. She takes Mina’s phone and throws it away.

“Yah! What the hell?”

Momo walks to a drawer, grabs something from it and tosses it at Mina. It’s the latest iPhone model.

“From now on, you will use that phone and that phone only. It already has my number and I got the phone bills covered. I’ll ask for you whenever you’re needed, through this number.”

“Why did you throw my phone? I don’t memorize my friends’ numbers, you know.”

“If they’re that important to you then you should’ve memorized their number.”

Mina scoffs. “That’s not the way it works.”

Momo just rolls her eyes. “Whatever. Your old phone’s dead, anyway.”

What a ! Mina thinks. She grits her teeth.

“Now come on, let’s go,” Momo says, taking her car keys and walking towards the door. All Mina could do is look at her.

“Where are we going?”

“I’m driving you home.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that. I can take a cab from here,” Mina replies, surprised at the gesture.

“You think I want to do this for you?” Momo laughs, much to Mina’s annoyance. “People have to see us together so they will believe us, or else this whole charade will be for nothing. Now come on, let’s go.”

Momo’s pink 2017 Audi A4 is parked below their house. Nayeon has to press a few buttons so that the car ascends to ground level, with Momo and Mina inside. It’s a pretty cool sight, Mina admits, but of course she wouldn’t let Momo hear that.

The car trip is mostly quiet, save for Momo asking for Mina’s address before they actually drove off. Mina notices Momo isn’t playing any music, and she wonders what kind of person Momo must be to not play music in her car. She chuckles to herself at the thought, but still it was loud enough for Momo to hear.

“What are you laughing at?” She asks in her annoyed tone.

“Nothing,” Mina answers, returning to her straight face. “I just remembered something.”

“Whatever.” Momo scoffs. “You can’t tell the reason why we’re dating, by the way. Not your parents, not your friends, or even Jihyo. She’s your best friend, right?”

“You know Jihyo?” Wait, Mina thinks. How does Momo know that Jihyo’s her best friend when she didn’t even know Mina’s name at first?

“No one can know,” Momo reiterates, ignoring Mina’s question. “Got it?”

Mina sighs. “I wasn’t planning on telling anyone, anyway.”

“Good.”

Now the rest of the trip is truly silent.

Momo parks the car outside Mina’s house, going out of the car after Mina does.

“Are you going in, too?” Mina asks calmly, but deep inside she’s panicking. What if her parents are already there? Or her brother? She doesn't want to tell them yet.

“Oh, please. I’m not going there with you. Why would I want to go inside a house that’s not even one-eighth of mine?”

“Oh my God,” Mina roars, yet her voice still sounds soft. “How condescending can you get?”

Momo chuckles. “You don’t even know the half of it, girlfriend.” She smirks at Mina. “Give me your hand.”

Mina raises an eyebrow. “Why? The last time I gave you something of mine, you smashed it.”

“Mina, there are people everywhere. People who follow me. People who will see us. They need to see us as a couple. Now give me your hand.”

Mina sighs, but ultimately she gives out her hand. She feels Momo’s warm hands as it comes into contact with hers. They walk towards Mina’s house.

“I’m sure this will be all over school tomorrow,” Momo utters. Mina could hear the smirk in the blonde’s statement.

Momo lets go of Mina’s hand, but before the latter could turn to open the door, Momo brings close to Mina’s ear, causing Mina to gasp lightly.

“You’re mine now, Minari.”